Year-long investigation into Isle of Wight helicopter crash continues - with the wreckage now removed from site
An investigation into how a helicopter came to crash in a field on the Isle of Wight is continuing, with the wreckage now having been removed from the site.
Two passengers and the pilot were killed and another person was seriously injured when the aircraft came down near Shanklin on Monday (August 25) morning.
The wreckage was removed from the crash site yesterday (Tuesday), with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) having spent the day gathering physical evidence from the site as well as interviewing witnesses. The investigation was likely to take 12 months, it has said.
Passengers Justyna Czoska, Wojtek Kowalkowski and pilot Simon Hewitt died in the crash, with a fourth person still in hospital after the the helicopter crashed into a field alongside the A3020 at 9.20am. Eyewitnesses have reported seeing it ‘spiralling’ beforehand.
More than £13,800 has been raised by the family of Ms Czoska and Mr Kowalkowski, both from Oxfordshire, to help pay for the costs to repatriate them to their native Poland.
Ms Czoska's family described her as "beautiful, funny, talkative, optimistic and kind", and said she was "always wanting to make those around her happy".
"She was our best friend, we miss the sound of her voice, we will miss her forever," they said in a tribute.
Mr Kowalkowski's family said he was "the father of two loving children", with Ms Czoska's daughter adding: "He always made me happy and always made my mum happy."
Mr Hewitt's partner and family said they were "absolutely broken", describing him as "the most wonderful, intelligent, kind man and father".
Northumbria Helicopters said in a statement that its "devoted pilot" from Lincolnshire would be "truly missed".
It had previously said that a flying lesson was taking place at the time of the crash.